Bagging Self-Service & Energy Costs Influence Ag

Bagging Self-Service & Energy Costs Influence Ag plus Food Forethought. I’m Greg Martin with today’s Northwest Report.

It pretty much goes without saying that higher energy costs have an influence on just about everything. Paul Westcott of USDA's Economic Research Service explains the focus behind a study that looked at higher energy prices and their impacts on ag producers.

WESTCOTT: In total, energy costs account for - on the order of 13% of production expenses so when we would then have those expenses increase they increased the cost of production in the sector to the different sub-sectors of crop production and livestock production.

I remember when grocery stores began experimenting with self-checking. We thought it was going to be the future but for some reason it really never seemed to take off like the businesses expected. Many shoppers prefer a little one-on-one with a checker. Now some grocery stores are planning to phase out the self-service lanes including Big Y and some Albertsons. It is not sure if this will result in more jobs but as more and more people opt for a little personal service it would only figure that more staff would be needed.

Now with today’s Food Forethought, here’s Lacy Gray.

It’s my absolute favorite time of year, Autumn. The air is crisp and the trees are beginning to put on their own color show. It’s also the time of year for all things apple. I have to admit, I get quite excited when the first Honey Crisps or Jonathans arrive. One is large, juicy and sweet, while the other is large, juicy, and tart. I remember as a child going with my Grandparents to pick out the first apples of the season. They would travel an hour up the road from our small Kansas town in order to find just the right apples, and they would always buy them by the bushel. Grandma always told my sis and I that she loved us a bushel and a peck, and I knew just what she meant. There are so many wonderful ways to enjoy apples - apple pie, apple sauce, apple cake, apple butter, apple cider, or just fresh apple slices. And they just haven’t found a way yet to get that wonderful fresh apple smell successfully translated into a potpourri or room spray. It’s no wonder they have the saying, “It’s as American as apple pie”. We may not have invented it, but what expresses the goodness and wholesomeness that America represents and aspires to as well as apple pie.

Thanks Lacy. That’s today’s Northwest Report. I’m Greg Martin on the Ag Information Network.